We always have open house before school starts! This is just a chance for the parents to come in and meet the teachers, bring the elementary kids' school supplies, and pick up the jr high/high school schedules. Fees can be paid, so the first day of school teachers can jump right into lessons. (We are a combination school- Pre-K - 12).

Before school - It is more of a time for the kids to see where the classroom is, what I look like & to get a sense of the room. They can find their desk & see where their things go. I take supplies that they bring w/them.

After school - We call this "Keys to Success". We go over everything!!!! From our daily routines to homework. I give them tips on homework & how to help with reading, spelling & math at home. I give them a folder with all of this info & then I give each parent who comes a homework coupon to thank them for coming. We have a hard time w/parent participation. Usually the parents who come aren't the parents I need to reach.

Is your Open House a come and go? Ours is the 20th from 5-8 come and go. Students get to see where their class is, bring in supplies if they have them, meet the teacher and just get aquainted with the building. We are a 2-3 building only.
I have shown an ongoing powerpoint before. I take pictures of activities and had the previous years students make slides on What you should know about 3rd grade.
Students and Parents wouldn't leave until they made sure they had made it all the way through the powerpoint at least once.

Ours is before school and like everyone else it is just a come and go opportunity to see the school and meet the teacher. I created handouts - one for the students and one for the parents (sorry can't attach yet) as sort of a scavenger hunt. I have the students find their desks, cubbies, mailboxes, look through their books, introduce themselves to me and tour the different areas of the room. I have the parents help their child find everything, pick up all the back to school forms, meet me and have them fill out an expectation form for the year. This is also an opportunity to bring supplies (lessens first day craziness) and sign up for conferences.

At our Back to School night the Thursday before school begins on Monday we have in class presentations to parents. This is where we talk about curriculum and expectations. Parents can ask questions to clarify. It's an eye opener sometimes and can explain ahead of time why a kid is the way they are, in a positive or negative way.

I am thinking of a very simple powerpoint but don't know if I'll have time. May just do the good ole overhead.

In the past when mine have been before school begins, I have a powerpoint running that highlights some of the things for second grade...nothing I have to present, it just loops. I have all the paperwork out for parents to fill out and I give the kids a sticker chart with "clues" to all the classroom areas. It's similar to an icebreaker activity, but involves them in finding parts of the classroom. At each spot I have stickers ready for the kids to put on their charts. They can take them home when parents are ready. I also do an estimation station. The winner is announced the end of the first week so that those that didn't get a chance to enter can and that person takes the contents and shares with classmates and refills the jar.

Just a couple of ideas. I'll try to post my classroom scavenger hunt. Oh-I just remembered, last year I thought it was too long so I'd make it more of a half sheet rather than a full sheet. Some parents were ready to go before the kids were done.

Also, if you haven't done one before school, some parents tend to want to tell you all about their child. Try not to get into a "conference" type conversation. I had one child who's mother called her beligerent and difficult and that poor child who came in smiling didn't smile again until November...and she was NOTHING like the mother had said. Grr!
Steph